The Sunderland lad set to storm Paris fashion world

Gareth Pugh left college just five years ago, but his outlandish and eccentric designs - often inspired by his home town and now worn by celebrities such as Beyoncé - have made him the hottest new talent. On the eve of his debut collection at Paris Fashion Week, buyers are eagerly awaiting the show

As the Paris fashion shows get under way next week, there is one collection that is being more eagerly anticipated than most. It's not the work of a French fashion house, nor is it created by a big-name designer - the show that every editor can't wait to see is that of a 27-year-old from Sunderland.

Gareth Pugh left college just five years ago, but the designer's outlandish creations, from sculptural silhouettes made from chain mail to PVC, balloons and Perspex, have made the industry sit up.

As the designer prepares to unveil his first collection for men, he has all the makings of the next big British name in international fashion. Some are comparing him to Alexander McQueen.

He already has one of the world's biggest stars behind him. Singer Beyoncé Knowles recently declared herself a Pugh fan and wore one of his dresses at the 2008 MTV Europe Music awards.

The designer describes his work as autobiographical and often inspired by Sunderland, where he grew up with his mother, who worked in a call centre, and his father and brother, both policemen and both called Trevor. Straight after graduation in 2003 he appeared on a Channel 4 reality show called Fashion House, in which young designers battled for the prize of a catwalk show in Rome. Pugh didn't win, but the setback proved no more than a glitch.

"When I was in Paris this week his name was being touted around in all the major fashion circles," said Richard Mortimer, who has hosted fashion week parties and after-show events as well as editing fashion website ponystep.com.

Lulu Kennedy, director of Fashion East - a showcase event at London Fashion Week for young design talent which gave Pugh his first break - said the fact that Pugh had moved to Paris was a shame for London Fashion Week. "But that's where the big houses show and the store buyers actually do their buying, as it's the final stop for the season, so they've seen all the different collections," she said. "From a business point of view, it really makes sense."

Pugh plays down the attention. "People have told me they're excited about something interesting happening in menswear," he said.

"I think people are expecting something ridiculously outrageous, but it's not going to be. I'm not saying it's going to be Armani; it'll have a slant that'll be specific to me. I've always had men in my show until the last one, so it was nice to concentrate on menswear. It's like designing for myself, so it's been an easy flow of ideas."

Pugh's rise to fame has been dramatic. His final collection for his fashion BA degree at Central St Martins in 2003 was spotted by editors at style title Dazed & Confused and soon appeared on the magazine's cover. In 2005, he created costumes for Kylie Minogue's Greatest Hits tour and he was also picked for Fashion East. By the time he showed his first full collection in February 2006, he had an eclectic following: US Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour sat in the front row alongside Pugh's mother.

Pugh has a very British eccentricity which imbues his creations with a sense of fun and has led to the comparisons with the likes of McQueen and Vivienne Westwood. "Gareth actually sticks his neck on the line," added Mortimer, who has known Pugh for five years.

While creativity is vital, it doesn't pay the bills. One criticism of Pugh's work has been that it's unwearable, more art than fashion. As recently as March 2007, Pugh said he had yet to sell a single dress. "If you see his designs close up, there's brilliant craftsmanship in them," said Mortimer. Others argued that, while Pugh's shows centre on theatrical pieces, they include well-made coats and dresses.

This season is a bold time for the designer to launch a new menswear collection. A number of established labels - including Valentino, Marni and Fendi - have cancelled their shows due to the economic downturn.

Pugh says that he thinks it's a good time for creativity and ideas. "Before, it was just making a dollar and shipping out tons of mass-produced clothes. If someone wants to justify spending £1,000 on a jacket now, they'll want something a bit different rather than just plain cashmere."

Jeremy Langmead, editor of Esquire magazine, said: "Menswear is a cautious business at the best of times and, with the economy as it is, many men are seeking sanctuary in double-breasted suits, shirts and ties. I think to have Gareth's take on the times will be a welcome and entertaining diversion. The only worry is that, while there is an incredibly strong underground movement in fashion at the moment, centred around the East End still, it tends to involve guys in their teens and early twenties. They will appreciate Gareth's work, but are there enough of them able to pay for it?"

Gary Edgley, senior menswear buyer at Selfridges, says he's keeping an open mind until after he's seen the show next Sunday, but that he'll definitely be watching with a view to buy: "He's one of the biggest designers in Britain, and I think his style is going to translate well to menswear. There's a lot of military and armoury influences." He also believes that the climate isn't necessarily a problem: "In times like these, anything can happen. If you produce something really special, then people will go for it."

For now, Pugh's main worry is whether the clothes will even make their debut. "My menswear had to be rushed through at the Italian factory I use," he said. "The vast majority won't be ready until the day before. I know what I want and what I've designed, now it's just a case of whether other people can deliver. My worst-case scenario at the moment is that the delivery van which is coming through the mountains will go off the edge of a cliff."